A new and happy life – by the cross!

“No matter where you live or who you are, you can become thoroughly happy,” says Nadya Georgieva from Bulgaria. She knows what she is talking about, and would like to share her story with us.

Nadya sits down in front of me and smiles warmly. She is a seemingly quiet and relaxed person who does not draw attention to herself. Nonetheless, she exudes a remarkable warmth and love, and I would like to know where it originates.

Nadya grew up in a small town in Bulgaria, just a ten-minute walk from the Greek border. At that time, communism was the prevailing ideology of the country, and principles such as equality and solidarity were strongly promoted. Nadya and her two sisters had a good and secure childhood with their parents in the city of Petrich.

At school, Nadya excelled. Like most other students, she was involved in many different activities. Every evening there was something going on. Among other things, Nadya participated in basketball, math club, dance, and choir.

When she was a teenager, Nadya started to hear about her behavior. People thought she was so angry. Whenever her mother asked her to do anything, her first reaction was, “Why do I have to do that?” At school, she always had to be right, and she argued until she got what she wanted.

In the evenings, Nadya would often visit her Christian grandmother. Even though Nadya did not believe in God, she loved listening to her grandmother tell stories from the Bible.

“It was like looking into another world – a world that was completely different from the world in which I lived and where everything was based on human reasoning.

“The story about Joseph especially fascinated me. He was sold as a slave to Egypt, and thrown into prison; nevertheless, he got power from God to be happy and thankful.

A turning point

Nadya recognized that there was a stark contrast between the lives of the Biblical heroes of faith, and her own life. When she was 15, she came to a turning point that would forever change her life.

A short, simple scripture that her grandmother read to her from the Bible opened her eyes to who God was. It shook the atheistic belief system she had grown up with, and which prevailed in her country.

She quotes from 1 John 4:12, “No one has seen God at any time….”

Suddenly it dawned on Nadya that she could not expect to see God with her own eyes. No one had seen Him. You simply had to believe.

Nadya was now completely captivated by God’s Word. She could read the Bible day and night.

“It was like living water,” she recounts excitedly. Clearly, her memories from those years during her youth are still vivid in her mind.

She saw “the old Nadya”

After this short time experiencing the joy of salvation, Nadya again began to meet her own nature. She started seeing “the old Nadya” again, with her natural lustsThe desires that we experience that go against God’s will. In other words, a desire for anything sinful. See James 1:14. Also called “sin in the flesh.” Although the expression “youthful lusts” is often thought of in connection with sinful sexual desires, lusts include anything that go against what is good and right in God’s eyes. (2 Timothy 2:22.; Galatians... More and tendencies.

God’s Word gave her a strong longing to be finished with all this. It was not enough for her to clench her fists when her anger arose. She wanted to be free; free from egotism; finished with all her demands, and the discontentment that wanted to assert itself.

When Nadya was baptized at age 16, the priest asked her why she was a Christian. Nadya told him that her testimony was the verse in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

That was her hope. She loved Jesus and wanted to keep His commandments about which she had read so much.

“After my baptism, I was terribly disappointed. My old nature started bothering me even more. I was a Christian now, but I still could not manage to change. I needed help.”

Nadya heard repeatedly that Jesus died on the crossJesus was physically crucified on the cross at Calvary. Though blameless, He took upon Himself the punishment for sin, which was death, so He could pay our debts and forgive us our sin if we are willing to believe in Him and follow Him the Apostle Paul wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20) This is a metaphorical... More for the forgiveness of sins. However, this no longer brought her comfort.

A new hope

A short time later, some Christians from Brunstad Christian Church visited Nadya’s church in Petrich. Nadya heard the guests sing a song from the songbook they brought that gave her new hope.

“Among other things, I heard a song with the words, ‘To the slaves of sinSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... More I’ll hasten, For the night is drawing nigh.’ (“Ways of the Lord” #347) ‘This is what I need. This is the way,’ I thought.”

Nadya, who until that day had felt like a slave to sinTo commit sin is to consciously do something that you know goes against God’s will. This can be in word, deed, or even thought. (James 1:14-15)... More, now saw the cross as the way of escape – the way to freedom. Even though Jesus had been completely innocent, He died on the crossWhen the cross is mentioned in the Bible, it most often does not refer to a physical wooden cross, except when specifically describing Jesus’ crucifixion on Calvary. “Taking up your cross” refers to the metaphorical cross that Jesus’ speaks about in Luke 9:23. “Taking up your cross” is the act of denying the sinful thoughts that come up in you... More on Calvary so that He could forgive our sins.

“But I also saw that the cross was so much more than that. Jesus put to deathIs to overcome the temptations to sin that arise when our lusts and desires draw us to react in ways we know to be evil (i.e. pride, hatred, evil-speaking, envy etc.) It is the act of denying those thoughts and refusing to agree with them. The lust to sin is not only suppressed, but it actually dies. (Romans 8:13; Colossians... More, or denied, His own will every day, in all the temptations He encountered. He chose to always do God’s will instead of His own. In Luke 9:23 He called this to ‘take up his cross daily’ – long before He was crucified on Calvary.”

Nadya now understood that Jesus not only denied the sins that wanted to manifest themselves, such as angry words, negative actions, etc. – He took up a battleAlmost all talk of battles and wars when concerning a Christian life refers to the inner battle that arises when a sinful thought tempts you. God’s Spirit and the flesh are at odds. When you have decided to only do God’s will and are being led by the Spirit, a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit arises: there is... More against the very lusts and desiresThe desires that we experience that go against God’s will. In other words, a desire for anything sinful. See James 1:14. Also called “sin in the flesh.” Although the expression “youthful lusts” is often thought of in connection with sinful sexual desires, lusts include anything that go against what is good and right in God’s eyes. (2 Timothy 2:22.; Galatians... More that dwelt in His nature – His self-will, or “sin in the fleshSin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This... More”, as the Bible calls it.

On this “daily cross,” sin received its final death before it became an action. Jesus not only died on the cross to forgive us of our sins, He also left us an example that we should follow. The fact that He never gave in when He was tempted to become angry, jealous, offended, etc., gave Nadia the possibility of going the same way.

“Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20 got a whole new meaning for me,” she said. “I have been crucified with ChristJesus was physically crucified on the cross at Calvary. Though blameless, He took upon Himself the punishment for sin, which was death, so He could pay our debts and forgive us our sin if we are willing to believe in Him and follow Him the Apostle Paul wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20) This is a metaphorical... More; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”.

She experienced that the cross works

Changes started to take place in Nadya’s life. She smiles as she thinks about the amazed expression her mother got when she asked her daughter to help out with something. “Sure, I can do that,” the previously argumentative 17-year-old would answer before her mother had even finished asking the question.

“I experienced that the cross works. I concluded that if it worked in small situations, then it would also work when I met bigger things,” she said with a broad smile.

Hope and faith for the future

It was very comforting for Nadya finally to experience victory. This gave her hope and faith for the future – faith in a life where she could be continually more transformed, one day at a time. Instead of being an angry, bitter person, she could become happy and thankful.

The woman I see sitting in front of me now, doesn’t show many signs of the disagreeable person she describes from her childhood. I ask her jokingly if she is perfect and whether she still needs the cross.

Nadya laughs loudly and answers that she is not perfect.

“I need [the cross] more than ever before. Even though I have overcome many things, God continually shines light on new areas where the cross can do its work. Then I must continue to deny my own will, so that the life of Jesus can grow more and more in my life.”

Nadya uses the verse in Romans 14:17 as a guide in her life, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” When she has this peace and joy in her heart, she knows that she is following God’s will.

Begin in the small situations

At the end of the interview, I ask Nadya if she has any advice for readers who do not yet have faith in this life.

“Yes I do,” answers Nadya. “Trust in God – not in your own understanding. God is almighty. He can change everything. He can make an unhappy person happy. No matter where you live or who you are, you can become thoroughly happy.”

Nadya speaks with conviction. This is something she has experienced.

“First, turn to God. Your foundation needs to be that you are willing to serve God with all of your heart. Begin with the very small things. When you do that, you will find that God is faithful. He makes it so that you can always be happy and thankful, whether your feelings go up or down and whatever your circumstances are.”

The Grace that is in Christ Jesus

“When people think about grace, they usually think about the forgiveness of sins; and since we have all sinned, we all need grace.” Sigurd Bratlie opens this booklet about grace with these words. However, he goes on to describe in-depth that the grace that is in Christ Jesus means so much more than forgiveness. It also means truth and help. It teaches us not to sinTo commit sin is to consciously do something that you know goes against God’s will. This can be in word, deed, or even thought. (James 1:14-15)... More, so that we can be completely free to live a life of victory that leads to perfection.

How can James say that we are to “count it all joy” in our trialsTribulations or trials refer to any event or situation that comes your way that tempts you to sin; that gives opportunity for sinful thoughts and temptations to rise up in you. The tribulation or trial arises when your mind to serve God struggles against your lusts to sin. It also often refers to difficult situations that test your ability to... More? How can sufferingThe Bible often mentions suffering. Though this can refer to outward, physical suffering, in the New Covenant it mostly applies to the suffering that occurs when you deny your own sinful lusts and desires and put them to death. It is an inner suffering that occurs because your lusts are not being satisfied, rather than a physical, outward one –... More be joyful?

ActiveChristianity® by Brunstad Christian Church explores how God’s Word challenges and empowers us to live 100% according to His will, so we no longer need to fall in sin, but can come to a life of victory.